Scarlet Oak

Pollinator Value

🔑 Keystone: Oaks (Quercus) support 401 species of butterflies and moths in this ecoregion, ranking among the most important woody genera for Lepidoptera biodiversity. Scarlet oak contributes acorns, foliage, and structural habitat for a vast invertebrate and vertebrate community. As a keystone genus, oaks underpin food webs from caterpillars to insectivorous birds.
S13 401 lepidoptera species; S41 wildlife food source
🐛 Larval Host: Acronicta retardata, Dryocampa rubicunda, Furcula borealis, Haploa clymene, Hypercompe scribonia, Limenitis archippus, Ceratomia amyntor, Lochmaeus manteo, Orgyia definita, Acronicta interrupta, Limenitis arthemis, Papilio glaucus, Acronicta funeralis, Callosamia promethea, Campaea perlata
S13+S15 15 verified Eastern NA
❄️ Winter Food Source: Acorns persist on the ground into winter and are consumed by Ruffed Grouse (1.4% of diet by weight/volume). Blue jays and red-headed woodpeckers also cache and consume acorns through winter. Squirrels, chipmunks, and mice rely heavily on cached scarlet oak acorns as a winter food resource.
S57 Ruffed Grouse; S41 squirrels, chipmunks, mice, blue jays, red-headed woodpeckers; S61 blue jays, red-headed woodpeckers, squirrels

Proximity Score: 2
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: SE
CEC Eco-Regions: 8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.1 – Mixed Wood Plains, 8.1.3 – Northern Appalachian Plateau and Uplands
Rarity Notes: Not listed under SARA. NatureServe global rank G5 (Secure), IUCN Least Concern. National rank N5 in the United States; no Canadian national rank assigned. Ontario lacks an official S-rank but 87 preserved specimens confirm presence across multiple ecoregions. Quebec has only 1 preserved specimen, near the northern edge of the species range.
S22 G5, IUCN LC, N5 US, no CA rank; S26 not SARA listed; S48 87 ON specimens, 1 QC specimen
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Scarlet oak inhabits dry upland ridges and slopes on sandy, gravelly, or shallow infertile soils, often over sandstone. It is a component of mixed oak forests with black oak, chestnut oak, and white oak, typically on upper and middle slopes of southern exposure. In the northern part of its range, it associates with jack pine and aspen on dry sandy plains. A probable climax species on dry sites, maintaining dominance through rapid growth and drought tolerance.
S41 dry sandy upland ridges and slopes; S4 poor soils, upland ridges, climax on dry soils; S7 dry sandy soils with jack pine, aspen

Roles: Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier, Insectary Plant, Nutrient Accumulator, Shelterbelter, Wildlife Habitat
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = Medium (not definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Insectary Plant: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186)] | Nutrient Accumulator: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186)] | Shelterbelter: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186); S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186)] | Wildlife Habitat: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186)]
Notes: Scarlet oak functions as a canopy anchor in dry upland guilds, providing mast for wildlife, structural habitat, and nutrient accumulation (calcium). Its deep taproot accesses subsoil minerals while tolerating poor, dry soils where many species struggle. Fresh leaf litter should be composted before use as mulch near sensitive plants, as allelopathic compounds may inhibit growth of some understory species.
S72 nutrient accumulator (Ca); S29 leaf mulch caution; S41 taproot, dry site adaptation

Category: Astringent, Anti-dysenteric
S29 astringent, dysentery treatment
Notes: Oak galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and have been used in traditional medicine for treating haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, and dysentery. No specific ethnobotanical uses recorded for this species in the Moerman database.
S29 gall uses; S28 0 ethnobotanical uses

✅ Edible

Foraging Notes: Acorns are edible after thorough leaching of bitter tannins in running water, which can take days to weeks for whole seeds. The leached seed can be dried, ground into flour for bread, or used as a thickening agent in stews. The roasted seed serves as a coffee substitute. Indigenous methods included burying acorns in boggy ground over winter to reduce astringency.
S29 seed preparation details, coffee substitute, indigenous methods